Justine Larbalestier - How to Ditch Your Fairy  

Books by Justine Larbalestier

How to Ditch Your Fairy
Liar

HOW TO DITCH

YOUR F airy

JUSTINE LARBALESTIER

Copyright 2008 by Justine Larbalestier

First published by Bloomsbury U.S.A. Childrens Books in 2008
Paperback edition published in 2009

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced
in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the publisher,
except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

Published by Bloomsbury U.S.A. Childrens Books

175 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10010

The Library of Congress has cataloged the hardcover edition as follows:

Larbalestier, Justine.

How to ditch your fairy / by Justine Larbalestier.1st U.S. ed.

p. cm.

Summary: In a world in which everyone has a personal fairy who tends to one aspect of daily life, fourteen-year-old Charlie decides she does not want hersa parking fairyand embarks on a series of misadventures designed to rid herself of the invisible sprite and replace it with a better one, like her friend Rochelles shopping fairy.

eISBN: 978-1-59990-582-2
[1. FairiesFiction. 2. MagicFiction. 3. Interpersonal relationsFiction.]

I. Title.

PZ7.L32073Ho 2008 [Fic]dc22 2008002408

Typeset by Westchester Book Composition

Printed in the U.S.A. by Quebecor World Fairfield

1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2

All papers used by Bloomsbury U.S.A. are natural, recyclable products
made from wood grown in well-managed forests. The manufacturing processes
conform to the environmental regulations of the country of origin.

Days walking: 60

Demerits: 4

Conversations with Steffi: 5

M y spoffs looked funny in the top, which is odd because my spoffs are tiny. I pulled the top up and tried to push them back where they belonged. Didnt work. Somehow the top was pushing my right spoff under my armpit and my left toward my neck.

I wasnt entirely used to having spoffs. Im only four-teen and the lumps on my chest only started happening six months ago and, like I said, theyre tiny. Mom says having any at all at my age is lucky. Except that all my friends have them. Anyway, up till now theyd shown no indication of straying far from my chest.

Your fairy hates me, I said to my best friend, Rochelle.

No, she doesnt, Rochelle said, admiring herself in the dressing room mirror. The little black dress she was trying on looked perfect; her spoffs were where they were supposed to be, not migrating to other parts of her body. The black brought out the gold in her eyes, which was strange seeing as how theres not any gold in black. Maybe her fairy was leaking dust.

Your rentals wont let you wear that, I told her. Her parents were strict about Rochelles clothes being suitably becoming. I pulled off the spoff-destroying top. I stared at it. It looked like a top: two sleeves, a sweetheart neckline, straight seams. The material wasnt even stretchy. How had it attacked me like that?

Its not that short.

I looked at Rochelle in the dress. It managed to cover most of her thighs, but Rochelle is vastly tall, and dresses on her always seem shorter than they really are. Yeah, but its that low. Youll be shopping-grounded again.

No, I wont. Rochelle hoicked up the top of her dress, disappearing all spoffage. See? Ill wear it like this in front of the rentals and Dadll think it doesnt reflect badly on him and wont say a word. Mom never notices what Im wearing unless she thinks its disgraceful. She struck a pose in front of the mirror, shoulders back, chest out (Rochelle is not spoffs-lacking), and fingers splayed like a fancy dancer. Anyway, its only twenty dollars.

What? I exclaimed, though it wholly figured. Youd think Idve stopped being surprised years ago. Those dresses are all two hundred dollars.

Rochelle reached around to dig out the tag hanging down her back and awkwardly held it out while turning so that I could see it. The tag was tattered and heavily crossed out. I peered closer. The top crossed-out amount said , then , then , all the way down to the very edge of the ticket, where it said in teeny- tiny (dare I say fairy?) writing: damaged, $20 only.

I sighed. Wheres the damage, then? The silk of the dress shone, exuding an aura of unwrinkled never- been-worn- before- ness. I couldnt even see a stray piece of thread. The top Id just removed had several. The tag said $75. It was not reduced.

Isnt any. Rochelle was staring at herself in the mirror, not smiling, but looking deeply satisfied.

Your fairy never lets you down, does she?

Rochelle nodded. Yes, she does. She didnt do anything for that top of yours. She picked it up, turned it over, picked off another thread. I was so sure this would look fantabulous on you... I like her best when she works for you too. You know I read in Stars Weekly that Our Tui says that fairies work best for virtuous people? That when shes been a bit naughty her fairy wont

Oh! Did she finally say what kind of fairy she has? Its a charm fairy, isnt it?

Rochelle shook her head. Nope. She didnt. Anyway, Im wondering if Ive done something bad, and thats why shes only working for me today.

Thats silly. If fairies only worked for good people, then how do you explain Fi-or-en-ze Stupid-Name? Her fairy never takes days off and shes vastly up herself.

You have a point, Rochelle said.

Also I have four demerits, which indicates badness, right? But Im certain my fairys working as hard as ever.